Remember the US Military is likely the largest single employer of LGBT people in America. If the ban does come down, who is really prepared to handle the likely deluge of discrimination allegations? With such a hyper macho institution and decades of homophobia and the stress of constant deployments and lack of support for military operations at home, stress in the armed forces is incredibly high.

Once the ban falls, and it will fall, who will take the calls, letters, emails and other reports of discrimination, sexual harassment, intimidation, vandalism and violence? The military? The EEOC? State LGBT groups? National groups?

The point is that our movement has been so focused on HIV/AIDS, policy change and support for youth, that we don't have the proper infrastructure for client advocacy. Sure SLDN has done amazing work and the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs exists, but military abuse problems need unique solutions if DADT falls.

Our movement must start thinking now about how to best serve people and plug them into existing resources that are culturally competent and understand that many LGBT services members are not partnered or "out" to their families. It is unsafe to be LGBT in the military and likely less safe than any other workplace (other than law enforcement).

Roeder murdered Dr. Tiller in cold blood last year at Tiller's church because he provided late term abortions to women. Most late term abortions are "wanted" pregnancies but are prescribed by doctors to ensure the health of the mother or because of likely death of the fetus.

This judgment is a victory. But women and abortion providers should be on guard because the political climate is such that more violence at clinics or against providers is certainly possible.

Right now our movement is caught up in the daily drama of the very important federal lawsuit to strike down Prop 8 in California. Don't get me wrong, this case is of utmost importance. There is a lot at stake, to be sure, but my concern lies in the fact that the LGBT movement seems obsessed with all things coastal. California, New York, D.C.... All important places.

Dozens of states have endured divisive and destructive ballot measures that have left the local community devastated, hurt and angry. But no other state experienced the outpouring of LGBT community and media attention as California. This isn't just about California's size - this has to do with the queer center of gravity being on the coast. Bigger is better. Bigger is sexier. This story has it all, stars, victims, a celebrity governor and rival attorneys coming together to take on an evil policy.

Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/what_about_the_rest_of_us.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/what_about_the_rest_of_us.phpMediaTue, 26 Jan 2010 14:30:00 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/what_about_the_rest_of_us.php#commentsGays should celebrate Roe anniversary
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]]>The November elections are only the beginning. We must continue to shovel layer upon layer of dirt onto the grave of right wing political playbooks that have hurt so many Americans.

Last year I left the Triangle Foundation in Michigan after 12 years to become the Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina. It has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Ironically, I am currently the only man in the country running a chapter of NARAL. It gives me great pride to be on the front lines safeguarding women's rights. But it is still a continuation of my work for LGBT rights.

Every significant pro-gay legal decision is based on Roe v Wade. All LGBT people need to see the struggle for abortion and privacy rights as part of their struggle as sexual minorities. The intersections between the struggle for LGBT equality and reproductive freedom are obvious. Not only are our common struggles about privacy and freedom, but it has to do with control over our own bodies.

Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2009/01/gays_should_celebrate_roe_anniversary.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2009/01/gays_should_celebrate_roe_anniversary.phpThe MovementFri, 23 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2009/01/gays_should_celebrate_roe_anniversary.php#commentsLesbian Couple Lectured at Doctors office
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]]>West Michigan is a very conservative place, but two local lesbians were still shocked to be lectured by their doctor about their "lifestyle" when they went in for a simple issue.

Most of the piece is just an overview for most of us, but then in one sentence Miller seems to defend eHarmony.com's bias against gays. She said, "eHarmony does not reject gays - it simply doesn't accept them: the only choices on the site are 'man seeking woman' or 'woman seeking man.'"

Depending on how you read the entire paragraph, Miller could just be playing devil's advocate for Neil Clark Warren, the fundamentalist founder of eHarmony, but either way it deserves a closer look. How can you possibly say that discrimination is not occurring when you admit you don't accept certain people? By using language the excludes people from the outset, you are overtly discriminating.

Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2008/04/newsweek_contributor_spins_eharmony_bias.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/04/newsweek_contributor_spins_eharmony_bias.phpMediaWed, 30 Apr 2008 07:16:02 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2008/04/newsweek_contributor_spins_eharmony_bias.php#commentsHorrible coverage of Day of Silence on MI Station
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]]>WNEM has run one of the worst stories I have seen in recent years on LGBT issues by using insensitive and inflammatory terms to cover the Day of Silence today.

First, the headline is pure AFA propaganda. Then referring to the AFA as a "family values" organization is a flat out lie. They then referred to gays and lesbians as living an "alternative lifestyle" and referred to us as "homosexuals." They also keep referring to DOS as a protest, as if there will demonstrations occurring in schools. The AFA lies in the piece by saying they have contacted tens of thousands of parents in MI. They have no such list in MI. They mean they are reaching parents using the media.

After a grueling 2 hours of other council business, I emerged from the Detroit City Council meeting with good news. The Council voted 8-1 in support of amending the City's human rights ordinance to include "gender identity or expression."

Detroit has nearly 940,000 residents, but of course this ordinance not only covers those living in the city, but also those visiting, shopping in and working in the City. The formal effort to amend the ordinance began back in October, and we were hoping it would pass around the time that the Creating Change Conference was here in February, but city politics delayed it a tad.

The move came after months of infighting with the Democratic National Committee and national pundits who have been either paralyzed with inaction or simply complaining all the time. By "shooting the bird" to the DNC, George Will, and dozens of other pundits, state leaders are hoping to get some control back over the delegate mess that Michigan is going through.

Responding to criticism that the Middle Finger is technically not a bird, Speaker of the House Otto Kapidal said, "Actually, when doing shadow puppets, the middle finger looks strikingly like a tern. Which is a way for us to tell the DNC it is their turn to act."

Activists for the PETA were upset at the move because they say they have been auditioning qualified birds for months for the role of state bird. Spokeswoman Nadia Fault had this to say: "What the f*ck. We were just about to sail through the ostrich because it so appropriately has it's head in the sand. We will urge Governor Granholm to veto this particular finger in the hopes of elevating one of the most ridiculous looking animals on the planet."

Hours after the comment by Fault, she was terminated by PETA for her remarks.

This just shows, once again, the hypocrisy on the right and the proof that right-wing extremists really do hate gays. If you are heterosexual and admit to using the services of prostitutes while married, you can earn a perfect score from the FRC, but they have absolutely nothing nice to say about gay people who have never "sinned."

This reminds me of a state house race in Michigan in 2004, where a pro-gay Republican in conservative West Michigan faced a primary challenger because he refused to vote to ban gay marriage. His primary opponent claimed to be the more moral candidate, even though he had been divorced twice and admitted to using a prostitute while married. The pro-gay Republican spent over $300,000 of his own money and only won his primary by less than 70 votes.

See. They hate the gays, not just the sin. Simply not voting to harm gays made you more immoral than a philandering criminal.

Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2008/03/vitter_scores.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/03/vitter_scores.phpFundie WatchSat, 22 Mar 2008 13:22:47 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2008/03/vitter_scores.php#commentsNationally recognized Homophobe dies
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]]>Robert Skolrood has died. Many of you may not be familiar with this man but he was a major player in fundamentalist activism.

"In 2002, when he was semi-retired, Mr. Skolrood was arrested on charges of uttering obscenities and making sexual advances toward a male undercover police officer at an overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. He denied all the charges at a trial before a federal magistrate in Roanoke, Va., but he pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and paid a $125 fine."

Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2008/03/nationally_recognized_homophobe_dies.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/03/nationally_recognized_homophobe_dies.phpFundie WatchThu, 06 Mar 2008 11:13:26 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2008/03/nationally_recognized_homophobe_dies.php#commentsBad Trans News Coverage in MI
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]]>One of the more prominent GLBT reporters in Michigan, Todd Heywood, has posted a good piece about recent insensitive news coverage in Michigan on transgender issues. Most of which we have worked on at Triangle Foundation. Here is the link to Michigan Messenger for the news.

For more information about any of the cases mentioned contact our Director of Victim Services at melissa@tri.org.

Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/bad_trans_news_coverage_in_mi.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/bad_trans_news_coverage_in_mi.phpMediaWed, 27 Feb 2008 22:34:33 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/bad_trans_news_coverage_in_mi.php#commentsSnoop Dogg Dogs Gays in Reality Show
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]]>I don't normally watch TV so I don't even know if what I just witnessed was a re-run or not, but on Snoop Dogg's reality show "Father Hood" on E! there was a bizarre piece of "advice" given to Snoop's sons by a buddy of his.

After trying to encourage his kids to stay in school, Snoop brings his sons to hang out with a friend who proceeds to talk about staying away from certain drugs, claiming that he's been clean for four years. The friend then imparts this little gem: "Whatever you do don't hit the pipe...and don't suck anyone's d-ck..." And of course Snoop just laughed and so did his kids, but the friend looked dead serious.

Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/snoop_dogg_dogs_gays_in_reality_show.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/snoop_dogg_dogs_gays_in_reality_show.phpEntertainmentSun, 17 Feb 2008 18:54:23 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/snoop_dogg_dogs_gays_in_reality_show.php#commentsHomophobia in the Locker room
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]]>Many of you remember when former NBA player John Amaechi came out and Tim Hardaway opened up a can of "I must be uncomfortable with my own sexuality" on his ass. Well, here in Detroit something similar happened a few years ago with Detroit Lions President Matt Millen called a former player a "faggot" while in a Kansas City locker room.

The story made national news and Millen immediately apologized. In fact, thousands of people were calling for his head, mostly because he has failed year after year to deliver a winning football team in Detroit, but the response was impressive.

President Clinton signed an executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in 1998, but once Bush took office his underlings refused to enforce the policy. Scott Bloch was the right-winger put in charge of this enforcement and of course the appointment of extremist John Ashcroft only solidified the tone of non-inclusion at the DOJ.

This statement from Mukasey is welcomed and is clearly a product of hard work by federal employees with GLOBE and DOJ Pride. Amidst all the crap coming out of DC nowadays this is a great development.

Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2008/01/hiv_positions_of_presidential_contenders.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/01/hiv_positions_of_presidential_contenders.phpLivingFri, 11 Jan 2008 19:35:28 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2008/01/hiv_positions_of_presidential_contenders.php#commentsFat Fabulous Photos
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]]>There are, at times, figures in the GLBT movement that are so cutting edge and so radical that they are completely misunderstood and underappreciated while they are alive. One of those people was Heather MacAllister who died last year from cancer.
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Sean Kosofskyhttp://www.bilerico.com/2007/12/fat_fabulous_photos.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2007/12/fat_fabulous_photos.phpEntertainmentMon, 31 Dec 2007 10:08:05 -0500http://www.bilerico.com/2007/12/fat_fabulous_photos.php#commentsTrashy "Shot at Love" Ends Predictably
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]]>I never watch TV but in the past few weeks I heard about a show called "A Shot at Love" with a bisexual "MySpace Maven" who took reality dating shows to a new level - high stakes bisexuality.

The MTV program was predictably trashy, but they seem to have perfected their craft becuase if the show was on in my house I could not take my eyes off the screen. First, they had a ton of gorgeous men and women on the show, displaying lots of skin. Always a crowd pleaser. I loved the reaction of all the men when they realized they had to compete not just with blonde, beautiful, butch boys but also with blonde, beautiful butch and femme women (all of whom were lesbian and equally surprised at the plot twist).